Shortly after his success with Along Came A Spider, James Patterson devoted his time to being a writer. The novels featuring his character, Alex Cross, a forensic psychologist formerly of the Washington D.C. Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation who now works as a private psychologist and government consultant, are the most popular books among Patterson readers and the top selling US Detective series in the past ten years. Patterson has written 52 novels over his 33 years as an author. In 2007, one of every fifteen hardcover novels sold was a James Patterson title—totaling an estimated 16 million books sold in North America alone. In total, Patterson’s books have sold an estimated 150 million copies worldwide. He has won awards including the Edgar Award, the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, and the International Thriller of the Year award. He lives in Palm Beach, Florida with his wife, Susan, and son, Jack.